The consultations gathered representatives of UN agencies and organisations of persons with disabilities to define shared priorities and strengthen joint action for inclusion and accessibility across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Organized under the framework of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Working Group (DIWG), which leads UN-wide efforts to embed the rights of persons with disabilities across all policies and programmes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the event presented the UNCT Report on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), along with the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and Accountability Framework.

“Disability inclusion is more than a principle - it must be a practice. With the establishment of the UN Disability Inclusion Working Group and its ambitious Work Plan, the UN reaffirms its role in supporting CRPD implementation and partnering with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to ensure every person in Bosnia and Herzegovina is seen, heard, and empowered. Through today’s consultation, we committed to increased strategic engagement with OPDs to ensure disability inclusion remains embedded from design to delivery,” said Jo-Anne Bishop, UN Women Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Sustainable development needs to be inclusive, and this requires the active participation and contribution of organisations of persons with disabilities. You have a partner in us. We will use the convening power of the UN, and the strength of partnerships across government institutions, the private sector, academia, the media, and international organisations, to strengthen disability inclusion in BiH. We will be guided by your priorities and by a deep understanding of intersectionalities and multiple deprivations,” said Renaud Meyer, UNDP Resident Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Genuine inclusion begins when persons with disabilities are not only heard but actively shape the decisions that affect their lives and improve society at large. Participation is not a privilege - it is a universal right that is essential to ensure dignity, equality and the full realisation of everyone’s potential," said Agnes Picod, Head of OHCHR Country Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Through open dialogue, participants discussed priorities and joint actions for the 2025–2026 period, as outlined in the DIWG Work Plan, with a particular focus on accessibility, employment, education, social protection, and health services.

Suvad Zahirović, from the Union of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in BiH, emphasised the importance of this new chapter in cooperation: “United Nations agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities from across the country held consultations on partnership-based action aimed at ensuring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in our country. I consider this event historic, as it marks the beginning of a new relationship between UN agencies in defining programmes and projects that support changes in the social position and ensure equal rights for persons with disabilities. The Union of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities will give its full contribution to the development of this partnership, as well as to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the achievement of the objectives of the Workplan of the UN Disability Inclusion Working Group in BiH. I believe this is a new beginning of joint efforts to create policies based on the needs and challenges faced by persons with disabilities throughout the country.”

Conclusions and Way Forward

The consultations concluded with a shared commitment to accelerate disability inclusion in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The discussions reaffirmed that meaningful progress requires joint, coordinated, and rights-based action, where organizations of persons with disabilities are not only included but are active partners in shaping policies and decisions that affect their lives.

The 2025–2026 Work Plan of the UN Disability Inclusion Working Group (DIWG) will guide collective efforts across sectors, ensuring that disability inclusion remains a cross-cutting priority in all UN-supported programmes and initiatives.

The United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and organisations of persons with disabilities will continue to work together to turn these conclusions into concrete actions - ensuring that inclusion becomes a lived reality and that no one is left behind in the country’s development journey.

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